Do You Need To Seal A Concrete Floor Before Laying Laminate

Sealing prevents moisture from evaporating out of the porous concrete surface onto the new flooring.

Do you need to seal a concrete floor before laying laminate.

From my understanding the screed will not need sealing if you are only going to fit laminate or carpet. Do you need to seal a concrete floor before laying laminate the operative word in your question is need and the answer is it depends. Laminate flooring is a good alternative to wood flooring in basements. However before you can begin to lay the floor boards you must ensure that any damage to the concrete is completely repaired.

Where plastic sheets must be joined overlap the sheets by several inches and use strong vinyl tape to secure them. However to prevent moisture from the concrete floor from affecting your laminate install a vapor barrier of polyethylene film. Add about 10 to that number to account for any possible mistakes and warped boards. Install this barrier even if the concrete subfloor is covered by vinyl linoleum terrazzo or ceramic tile.

Remove any carpet or other flooring. Laminate flooring is also fairly easy to install. Just be sure to use the correct laminate suitable for the kind of area you are intending to use it on. Laminate flooring in a home can completely revitalize an old look of a room creating a classic style that matches many home decors.

If the house is older or there is a doubt regarding possible moisture in the concrete subfloor then laminate can be laid on a bituminous reinforced underlay designed for that purpose. If your concrete passes the moisture test then plastic sheeting at least 6 mils thick will prevent moisture from getting into your laminate flooring. However many homeowners are disappointed to discover that solid wood flooring cannot be installed on a concrete slab. Allow the thinset to completely dry before you seal the surface of the concrete pad.

Sealing concrete is both a protective coating for the concrete floor from above and an additional moisture. If you have to lay laminate boards on a small surface or a room with a complex shape buy 10 more flooring as you will get significant waste due to cutting. Determine how much flooring and materials will be needed. You can install laminate flooring over a variety of subfloors including concrete.

Nevertheless if you have to lay laminate flooring on a large surface a very large room or several room you should buy only 5 percent more flooring. Many types of flooring can be installed over a concrete sub floor. Install a plastic vapor barrier. A freshly screeded floor should be sealed before tiles are fitted unless a screed has been used that does not need sealing priming this screed is usually dust free so it seems as yours would require sealing for tiling.

You don t need to seal a concrete floor before installing laminate.